A Company, Templars, has emerged the best law firm in Nigeria in a legal award organised by Esquire at the weekend in Lagos. The law firm also garnered three additional awards in Capital Market Team of the year, Corporate Restructuring Team of the year as well as Project Finance Team of the year. Other winners include Royal Heritage, Banwo & Ighodalo and Aluko & Oyebode among others. Royal heritage carted away Dispute Resolution Team of the year as well as the Industrial and Labour Relations. There were about 35 different awards in four categories. The chief executive officer of Esquire and convener of the award, Lere Fashola said Nigeria Legal awards is organized basically to celebrate excellence and professionalism in Nigeria legal space. “We are looking at the role of lawyers in the development of businesses in Nigeria, businesses with integrity and professionalism. That’s why this award is set up. This year we improved based on what we had last year and our judging process has become more rigorous than what it was last year”, he stated. The principal partner, Templars, Mr. Olu Akpata expressed delighted over the award, saying it will spur them to do more. His words: “Our law firm is 20 years and it’s not just to feed ourselves, but we are trying to build a law firm that will put Nigeria on the map in terms of the provision of legal services; a law firm that will rank with others around the world to show that out of Nigeria can come a law firm that can provide quality legal services. “It is gratifying that some other people are recognising that. We are delighted to be among the group that can stand our own anywhere in the world. A team of impartial judges had looked at it and say that we merit the law firm of the year award, it is makes us to work harder so we can win it again next year.” The managing partner, Royal Heritage, Prince Aderemi Adekile expressed profound gratitude to friends, clients and associates of the firm who worked hard to make the award happen. He said that they have tried to create the climate in which people are motivated to excel, so as to contribute their best. He said: “We focused on teamwork. We taught others to be selfless in achieving goals that will benefit the whole organization, without waiting for reward. But first at the leadership level we demonstrated this by our personal example. As a leader, one was such a learner, who concentrated on self-improvement and encouraged it in others.